The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Our inability to better influence the flow characteristics of water once it is settled in the topography of any given location has led to tragic results. Our efforts at watershed management and flood control are more limited than they would be, if a good way to influence the rate, and direction, of the flow of meandering waters were available. Additionally, the way could be opened to better harvesting of the clean, renewable energy from flowing waters.
The “tidal and other currents” efforts have overwhelmingly gravitated to underwater turbines (similar to wind towers). However, any device placed in the way of the water's flow creates resistance and the flow tends to go around it. When such devices are grouped in various ways, the flow sees the group as a “porous wall”, which collectively still offers higher resistance and tries to move through openings that may be available to one or both sides of the porous wall. What is left to go through the turbines is at so reduced velocity that it produces too little captured energy to matter.